Apparatus for making hollow glass blocks



H. H. BLAU APPARATUS FOR MAKING HOLLOW GLASS BLOCKS Feb. 27, 1940.

Filed Oct. 12, 1937 Patented Feb. 21,194@ www APPARATUS FOR MAKING HOLLOW GLASS BLOCKS Henry H. Blau, Charleroi, Pa., assignor to Corning Glass Works, Corning, N. Y.,4 a corporation of New York e Application October 12, 1937, Serial No. 168,636

Claims. (Cl. 4iii- 1) This invention broadly relates to improved It is the general object of my invention to apparatus-'for making sealed hollow glass articles avoid and overcome the foregoing and other obof various kinds and is particularly. concerned jections to known procedures and mechanisms by e with apparatus for making glass building blocks, the provision of improved apparatusfor rapidly 5 such as are finding a wide variety of structural and efliciently forming sealed hollow articles ol.' "5 uses in the hands of architects and builders in glass from preformed parts and having desired the construction of walls, partitions and the internalV pressures. like. Another object of my-inventionis to provide Heretofore sealed hollow glass articles, as, for positive control of the temperature and physical l0 example, building blocks, have usually been made properties such as viscosity and surface tension l0 most successfully by press forming parts thereof j of the glass parts to be joined together from the in halves, each of which ordinarily has a relatime of heating until after the parts have been tively flat portion bounded by a right angle completely joined and set, regardless of changes flange extending continuously `around the iiat of temperature of equipment, of the atmosphere,

portion. The flanges of the halves are heated drafts in the shop, and the like. l

and pressed together to form a 4hollow glass Another object of 'my invention is the provision article. While under certain` conditions satisof apparatus for heating the glass parts, such as factory glass blocks or other articles can be halves to be joined together, means for holding made as described, a relatively large number of the glass parts against loss of Vheat, means for 5 factors are involved which have been found to pressing the parts together in fused relation 20 result in considerable scrap unless properly and while` still soft and plastic from the heat, and carefully controlled. Particularly, it has been means for rapidly cooling the zone or line of diilicult heretofore to brin'g the flange portion joinder of the parts. of the glass parts to a fusing temperature by a Another object of my invention is the provision gas flame and then press or stick the softened of limproved means for cooling the line or zone of anges 'together and in fused relation without joinder of parts fused together to form a hollow either overheating or underheating the flanges glass article whereby the assembly of the parts with attending complications. overheating of is expedited. the iianges results in distortion of the articles Apparatus constructed in accordance with my 1 during the heating, joining or lehr treating steps, invention and adapted to make hollow articles l30 and underheating of the flanges causestimproper from preformed glass partshaving complemental joinder of the glass parts so that a tight'hollow engaging portions includes means for holding article is not provided. e Further, in known the parts with the complemental portions exmethods and apparatus when the flanges of the y posed, means for heating the portions to be glass parts are heated to a suiiiciently soft state engaged to soften them, means for shielding the 35 for -proper fusing together, the glass parts must portions against loss of heat, means for moving be held in pressed and fused relation until the f the shielding means into position immediately glass has set. This sometimes delays rapid proafter the `heating means is ,withdrawn from the duction operations and entails scrap loss unless portions, means 'for pressing the portions of the 40 the parts are properly held untilthe glass is set. parts together in fused relation to form a hollow "40 When the hot parts are held forfany extended yn.rticle, means for directing a blast of cooling f period before the zone or line of joinder, of the vvfluid against'the line of joinder of the parts, and

parts sets or solidiiies the hot gases entrapped in A.means for venting gas away from the parts durthe block may blow out through a weakor `extra ing the cooling of the line of joinder thereof. Y

di hot portion of the zonev of joinder ofthe.. parts For a better understanding of my invention and thereby lspoil the block. Thusv .'ordinarye, reference should be had to the accompanying sealing methods` limit the internal pressuresj drawing wherein Fig. 1 is a plan view of one which can be present in the sealed hollow artiform of apparatus constructed in accordance cles under actual conditions of service and these with my invention and adapted to practice the in turn limit the weight of the walls and the method of my invention; and Fig. 2 is a side ele- 50 practical sizes of the article faces. In addition, vation with certain portions thereof being broken prior methods and apparatus are not particuaway in vertical section to better illustrate the larly adapted to commercial production operainvention. tions involving automatic machinery and uni- While my invention clearly contemplates the form workmanship. manufacture of sealed hollow glass articles of as various types, sizes, weights and shapes, it is particularly beneficial in the production of hol,- low glass building blocks and has been lso illustrated and will be so described. Again, although the method of my invention can be practiced with a wide variety of apparatus, as, for example, from a simple hand machine up to a complicated multi-station turret type of automatic apparatus, I have elected to illustrate my improved method in commotion with a' simple apparatus embodiment of my invention.

The particular apparatus embodiment of my invention shown in the drawing includes a stand or pedestal I which carries a plurality of tables I2, I4 and I6 for supporting the various parts of the apparatus'. Secured to the under side of the table I2 .and the upper side of the table I4 at equally spaced points from the pedestal III-are a plurality, usually two pairs as shown, of holding members I8 for receiving the glass parts to be joined together. 'I'he members I8, 'andparticularly the upper members, may comprise mechanical chucks but preferably are in the 'form of suction heads, whose operation is controlled by valves I8. The lower members I8 need not positively grip the glass parts, which are indicated at G, but may merely receive the parts and hold them in proper alignment.

'I'he glass parts G to be united together to form a hollow block are rst preformed as by pressing in other apparatus placed usually closely .adjacent to the apparatus of my present invention. While still hot the parts are loaded into the holding members I8 of the present apparatus and are joined together as hereinafter described. Generally, as heretofore indicated, the glass parts G are pressed in halves each having a-relatively flat portion bounded by an endless flange extending at right angles to the flat portion of the part.I It should be understood, however, that 'complemental glass parts, regardless of their exact complemental shape, can be joined together to provide a sealed hollow block.

'I'he holding members I8 which releasably' support the glass part G are mounted in pairs which have the individual members in vertical alignment with each other. The lower holding member I8 of each pair is supported at the table I4 but is mounted for movement vertically oi' the table I4 so that the glass parts G can be brought together. This vertical movement of the lower glass part G can be achieved in any number of ways. Perhaps one of the simplestnd most positive ways of. accomplishing this is to secure an air motor 8l, as illustrated on the bottom of the table I6, which motor includes a'piston rod 84 fastened to a block I5 which is secured to th lower holding member I8.

A burner 40 is pivotally supported on the pedestal III so that the burner can be swung to either pair of holding members I8 by the operation of the handle 4I. The burner has a plurality of Jets or' openings adapted to be positioned opposite the flanges of the glass parts G so that' An important part of my invention is the pro- 70 vision of means for shielding or holding each mating pair of the glass parts against loss of heat after the flange-softening operation and before thev parts can be completely fused together and,v

allowed -to set. One manner of achieving the 15 desired result is tprovide a relatively short length vof heat-insulating material 50 which .is secured to the under side of Vthe table I2 'so as to surround the uppermost holding member I8 but terminating vertically above the lowermost portion of the flange of the glass part. The length of insulating material -50 can be of any cross section, such as round, square or the like to closely surround the glass part. Complemental to the length 50 of insulating material is a longer length of like material 52 which has the same cross section as the length 50'. The length 52 is supported in a suitable opening in the table I4 forlimited vertical movement which may be achieved in various ways but which can be readily accomplished by the provision of air motors 54 `which are secured to the under side of table I8. Piston rods 56 extending from the air motors 54 are secured to afplate 58 to which the length 52 of insulating material is secured. Cirf cumferentially spacedvv relatively narrow ribs SII are provided at a plurality of points around the inner periphery of the length 52 of insulating material so that the lowermost holding member I8 is guided in its vertical movement without interfering with the discharge of hot gases down between the bars and the holding member I8 y and the length 52, as hereinafter described.

Suitable means for cooling the line or zero of joinder of the parts after fusing are incorporated with the shielding means, and while these may.

a conduit 69 running to a compressed air reservoir, indicated as a whole by the numeral 10. It

will be understood that the reservoir 'I0 includes supply and exhaust conduits 1I and 12 and control valves 13 for the controlled hand operation of the several fluid-operated mechanisms. Specically, the air motors and 54 are controlled by the mechanism I0 and valves 13 and to this end air conduits 'I4 are provided,I as will be understood. l l

The apparatus at the left-hand side oi' Fig. 2 shows the position of the glass parts during the joining operation. In this connection it will be noted that the length 52 of heat-insulating material has been raised up into engagement' with the short length 50 so as to form a shield around the heated glass parts G. 'I'he heat shield is brought into position as soon as possible after the heating operation so that the temperature of the glass parts G is retained and the contacting edges of the glass flanges lare maintained in a soft and plastic condition. Generally the portion 52 of the heat shield is raised into shielding position just as the burner 40 is moved out from between the glass parts and the portion 52 can `be raised without striking the burner.

-- In the joining operation the air motor 30 is energized to raise the lower holder I8 upwardly to bring the heatedanges of the glass parts into contacting relation as shown at the left-hand side of Fig. 2. With the glass parts in contact- .ing position the apertures 84 are in alignment with the line of joinder of the glass parts so that after the parts are pressed into fusing relation a blast of cooling fluid, generally air supplied by way of conduits and 68, is directed against the line of joinder of the parts to cool them. 'I'he air displaced by the blast of cooling tion between the'glass parts. glass parts G are now heated by the burner 40 to fluid can be vented to the atmosphere as desired. 'I'his may be accomplished, for example, by providing apertures 'I6 in the plate-58 so .that the displaced air flows down-around the lower cooling means I8 between the bearing bars 60 and out through the apertures 18.

In the operation of the apparatus just described a pair of the complemental press-formed glass parts or halves are positioned in the holding members I8 at the right-hand side of Fig. 2, and the burner 40 is revolved into heating posi- .The flanges of the soften them and bring them to a plastic fusing condition. The burner 40 is now swung out from between the highly heated glass parts and the heat shield is closed around the glass parts by the operation of air motors 5I to protect the glass againstloss of heat until joined together.

In the joining operation, which may be at any predetermined time interval afterthe heat shield has been raised into position, the lower holding means I8 is raised by operation -of the air motor 30 to bring the glass parts together in pressed relation. Once the parts have been properly pressed into fused engagement the blast of cooling fluid is directed through the. apertures 64 against the zone or line of joinder of thev glass parts to rapidly cool or set the seam with the air displaced escaping through the-apertures 16. I likewise contemplate flowing cooling fluid into the heat shield from the manifold 66 prior to bringing the glass parts together. In this manner the temperature,` density andnamount of gas trapped between the glassjparts, in the joining operation can be controlled. 'I'hus the desired internal pressure in the finished article can be obtained by variation of tli'e predetermined time interval after closing the heat shield and before joining the glass partsand/or; by the flow of cooling fluid into the heat shield. Thus the method and apparatus of my invention greatly extend the scope of possible adjustment of pressures in the sealed glass product and permit, for example, making lower weight blocks without practical limitations of size of the block faces. Accordingly, it is possible :to produce stronger glass building blocks of lower cost and better consumer acceptance and in which undesirable subor super-atmospheric pressures are not present.

vIlnstead of ksupplying cooling fluid, such as air, to the heat lshield as just described, i may illl the interior of the heat shield with a gas at the effective temperature of the glass parts prior to joining the parts together. When this is done there is no tendency to blow `out the seal in the zone of joinder of the glass parts since the gas trapped within the sealed hollow article being;l

position, the lower holder I8 is moved to its lowermost position, and the glass block supported by the upper holder I8 is released upon a paddle or is transferred by tongs to a cooling lehr. It will be understood that in the operation of the appa-` ratuswhile one pair of complemental glass parts is being heated by the burner i4I) on one side of lthe apparatus a second pair of complemental method and apparatus are capable of a wide` I variety of changes to provide exactly the type of fusing and setting operation required for commercial production purposes and to provide uniformly eillcient hollow glass blocks, or as heretofore indicated, other sealed hollow articles of glass. A

While in accordance with the patent statutes my invention has been illustrated and described in detail, it should be appreciated that the invention is not limited thereto or thereby butl is defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for making sealed hollow building blocks of glass from preformed parts having upstanding endless flanges which comprises means for holding the parts with the flanges spaced apart, means movable relatively to the parts for heating the flanges to soften them, means for effecting relative movement between the heating means and the parts whereby the blocks of glass from press-formed parts having upstanding endless flanges which comprises means for holding the parts with the flanges in opposed alignment but spaced apart, means for simultaneously heating the flanges to soften them, means for moving the heating means to and from heating position, means for shielding thellanges against loss of heat, means for moving the shielding means into position immediately after the heating means is withdrawn from the flanges and for removing the shielding means after the parts are fused together, means for pressing the flanges of the parts together in fused relation to form a hollow block, means for directing a blast of cooling fluid uniformly against the zone of joinder of the parts, and means for venting gas out of the shielding means and away -from the parts during the cooling of the zone of joinder thereof.

3. Apparatus for making hollow building blocks of glass from complemental pre-formed parts which comprises a heat shielded chamber,

. means for opening and closing the chamber,

means in the chamber'for supportingv the complemental glass parts, means movable to and from heating position for heating at least the portions of the parts to be engaged, means for pressing the heated portions of the parts together when enclosed in the chamber to form a hollow block, means in the chamber for directin g a blastof cooling fluid uniformly against the outside of the zone of joinder of the parts with the chamber closed, and means associated with the closed chamber for` venting displaced uid to the outside of the chamber.

4. Apparatus for making sealed hollow building blocks of glass from a plurality of parts comprising means for heating portions of the parts to soften them, means for effecting relative movementbetween the parts and the heating means to allow a clear path for movement of the parts together, means for pressing the portions of the parts together in fused relation to form a sealed hollow block, means for directing a blast of cooling iiuid uniformly against only the sides and complete zone of joinder of the parts, and means for venting gas away from the parts during the cooling of the sides and zone of joinder thereof.

5. Apparatus for making sealed hollow building blocks of glass from a plurality of parts comprising means for heating the portions of the parts to soften them, means for completely surirounding the parts for shielding the portions against loss of heat; means for moving the shielding means from an open to a closed positionand vice versa and for moving the heating meansto and from heating position, means for pressing the portions of the parts together in fused relation to form a sealed hollowl block while still shielded, and means for supplying iiuid to the interior ofthe shielding means and around the outside of the article.

HENRY H. BLAU. 

